It’s not pleasant to think of, but imagine that you or someone in your traveling party falls ill. Are you prepared to seek immediate medical assistance? Perhaps you are driving on a dark, country road, and encounter a fellow motorist in need of help. What can you do? The most important thing you can do is take steps now to ensure that any crisis you encounter is dealt with quickly and efficiently, keeping you and your loved ones safe.

“Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst,” is a good slogan to live by. In that spirit, here are some suggestions to help you in preparing for those things that no one likes to think about, but everyone should prepare for.

Before embarking on a journey in your RV, make an appointment with your doctor for a complete physical. Advise the physician of your plans to be away from home and discuss resolutions to potential health problems. Obtain a business card from the clinic so you have their office information on hand for easy reference should you need it while you are away from home.

Ask the doctor if you suffer from a condition that requires a variation from the standard medical emergency response. If so, your physician can guide you in purchasing a medical alert tag to be worn at all times. Never attempt to camouflage this tag, as jewelry in the event you are unconscious and emergency personnel are not aware of the information. Wear a tag that is definitive.

When preparing for travel in your RV, whether the trip is going to be long or short in duration, hundreds of details demand your attention. Assemble all medications at a time when you are not distracted by so many particulars. Situate the doses in containers divided by days of the week. This will assist you in determining in advance when refills are necessary. In addition, if the container gets dropped the medications won’t fall out and become lost or destroyed. Keep a business card from your local pharmacy on hand in the event you run into problems with prescription refills while you are out on the road.

Stock a road emergency kit, as well as a separate first aid kit and store those kits in accessible locations inside of the RV. At a minimum, the emergency kit should contain a flashlight, spare batteries, flares, flags or road cones, reflective tape and a pocketknife. Should you find yourself on the roadside at night, you can use the tape to place strips on your clothing that will warn other drivers of your presence on the roadway.

A clearly labeled first aid kit should be stored near the inside entrance of the vehicle. This kit should contain bandages, gauze pads, gauze tape, anti-infection cream, aspirin, wrap for sprains and your medical history form. It’s not a bad idea to also include a space blanket in your first aid kit. This is a small, tightly wrapped, package containing an expandable aluminum foil blanket to assist in keeping a body warm and preventing shock.

While traveling, drink only bottled water to avoid harmful bacteria. If a restaurant doesn’t appear to make sanitation a priority, go take your meal somewhere else. Be cautious about storing foods and fully cook all meats and fish. Wash your hands often. If you feel unwell on a particular day, stay at your present location and save the task of moving on for a time when your strength has returned. If the illness lingers, consult a physician.

It’s a good idea to have your address on hand in case you need to call 911. When checking into a campground, ask the attendant to give you a brochure of that campground with your site number written on the front. Keep this information handy for easy access to the address of your present location. Know the location of the pay telephone at the campground and keep spare change in your pocket in the event you need to make a call. If you are planning on an outing, and your traveling companion chooses to stay behind, leave the cell phone at the RV in the event you need to call for assistance. Don’t forget to put the present campground brochure in your pocket.

Any situation that threatens life, health or safety is considered an emergency. Be able to state with specificity what the emergency is prior to calling for assistance. Do not overreact. If someone is suffering from a break or strain, it will be adequate to drive that person to a hospital and leave the ambulance free to respond to more pressing matters. However, if there is any doubt whether you are encountering an emergency, treat it as one and call for help.

We’re rarely fully prepared for a medical crisis involving a loved one. If you wake up in the middle of the night and encounter a situation that forces you to panic, the least you should do is turn on all inside lights, exterior lights and the emergency flashers. Repeatedly engage the horn and alert neighboring campers that you need help.

When you call for emergency medical assistance, notify the operator that you are in a motorhome and explain the exact location, inside the coach, of the person needing help. This will enable the paramedics to arrive with proper transport apparatus. Arriving with a gurney, only to discover that assistance is required in a bedroom that cannot accommodate a gurney, will result in a valuable loss of time.

If, while speaking to the emergency operator, you suspect that oxygen will be necessary, notify the operator so it will be immediately available. If oxygen is already being used in the RV, warn emergency personnel of the flammable hazard presence.

If the emergency occurs at night, turn on the lights inside and outside of the RV, as well as the emergency flashers, to assist emergency workers in identifying your location. Clear away all obstacles between the doorway and the person in distress. Confirm that the outside of the coach has a clear pathway as well.

When you are traveling, and away from the RV, always carry information that identifies who you are and where you are staying. A good example would be a small typed card stating your name, home address, name of traveling companion and description of the vehicle in which you are staying. On the other side of the card list an emergency contact person back at home that is up to speed on your whereabouts. Keeping a current campground brochure in your pocket will assist authorities in locating your traveling companion quickly. Do not leave the RV, even for a brief stroll, without appropriate identifying information. And remember, if you have medical training advise the campground of that fact in case a neighboring camper requires medical assistance during your stay.

In the event of a fire, know in advance the location of the fire extinguisher. Make sure you, and everyone traveling with you, knows how to operate the fire extinguisher. A good way to practice operation is by spraying the extinguisher into a garbage can. However, when any amount of the contents are used, the extinguisher will lose effectiveness through loss of pressure, so be sure to have it serviced even after only using a small amount.

The CB radio can be utilized to call for assistance. Channel 9 of that radio, monitored by emergency personnel and volunteer citizens, has been universally designated as the emergency station. If you fail to reach a response using Channel 9, repeat the distress call three times and move the dial to another channel. Continue to repeat the call three times on each channel in the event you are being heard but cannot receive the listener’s response. Your distress call should clearly and calmly state your location and the emergency you are encountering.

If you rely upon a cellular phone, routinely charge the batteries of that telephone, and when stopping for the night confirm that your present location has cellular service. If you encounter an emergency, use the standard 9-1-1 number, or alternatively, the local emergency service number posted on highway signs. If you are calling from the side of the road, and don’t know where you are, use road signs and milepost descriptions. Landmarks may also assist personnel in pinning down your location. Give a detailed description of your vehicle and any accompanying tow vehicle. After receiving verification that help is on the way, be on the lookout for emergency vehicles and assist them in locating the correct destination by turning on all vehicle lights and emergency flashers.

Each person traveling in your group should have an individual back at home that is up to date on general health concerns, family contacts and travel plans. If problems arise when you are out on the road, simplify matters by having this designated individual coordinate what needs to be done so you can turn your attention to the pressing matters at hand.

Keep your medical information form updated annually. Make extra copies of the form and store them in your RV, tow vehicle, purse or billfold, as well as a copy with the emergency contact person. This form should include:

Name, date of birth, home address, allergies, prescribed medications, prior surgeries, primary treating physician (address, fax and telephone numbers), blood type, health insurance information and the name and telephone of your emergency contact person.

The form should also contain a medical release authorization that you have signed, which will enable medical personnel to quickly obtain vital information from your treating physician. If you are traveling with children obtain a medical history form and a list of any prescribed medications, as well as parental consent giving you permission to seek appropriate medical care for the child.

If an emergency takes you to an unfamiliar hospital, stay calm. Medical personnel need time and your patience in determining what is necessary to resolve a medical crisis. Give your full cooperation to diagnose and treat the problem. Most hospitals have social workers on staff to assist patients and their families. Keep your full attention turned toward answering physician inquiries, and ask the social worker to communicate with your emergency contact person. Remember to have the social worker or emergency contact person communicate your situation to the campground so they are made aware of what is going on. If you have left a pet behind in the RV, ask the social worker to contact a local kennel that will temporarily house the pet while you deal with the emergency situation.

Remember – don’t panic. Everything will work out. If you need to return home quickly it will be possible to find someone to drive the RV back while you fly ahead and attend to your needs. Locals in most towns never hesitate extending a helping hand to a traveler in distress. For even further peace of mind, consider purchasing roadside emergency insurance that will cover the cost of transporting your RV back home should the need arise. Your health is the most important thing – the rest of the details will work themselves out.

Be aware of reverse emergencies, problems occurring elsewhere and of which you are unaware because you can’t be reached. The excitement and carefree lifestyle of RVing quickly melts away the everyday worries of life back at home. However, someone may be desperately attempting to reach you. If you have chosen not to travel with a cellular telephone, or your journeys take you to areas in which cellular service is weak, call to check in on a regular basis. Give close friends and family a copy of your itinerary prior to leaving home in the event someone needs to locate you immediately.

Sometimes emergencies do not involve our health, but rather our possessions. Keep the RV locked, even when you are inside for the evening. Do not open the door to strangers and distance yourself from unknown persons who seem to be overly suspicious. Place a spray can of mace, or bear repellent, next to the door and next to your RV bed. Always remain aware of your surroundings and never carry large amounts of cash on your person. Look out for your neighboring campers as well by warning them of unusual activity you may spot. You don’t have to be paranoid when you’re traveling, but you should always be alert.

Leave a list of important numbers (credit card, phone card, driver’s license, coach VIN and license number, etc.) with your emergency contact person. Designate a secure place in the RV to store a spare credit card, drawn from a separate account, in the event your own card is misplaced and has to be cancelled. Frequently confirm that you have your identification nearby while out shopping and safely tuck these items away inside of the coach when you have returned. ATM machines can be found most anywhere. Rely on this resource to keep your cash on hand to a minimum.

If you encounter a fellow traveler in distress, assist only to your limit of training and experience. First and foremost, protect yourself. If you are stopping the RV to assist a fellow motorist, pull safely off from the road and put on illuminated clothing before getting out of the vehicle. You, or a member of your traveling party should immediately call for emergency response. Next, protect the scene and help prevent the situation from turning into chaos until the appropriate emergency authorities have arrived.

The key to dealing with a crisis situation lies in knowledge and preparation. Read often and stay informed. If an emergency occurs, deal with it quickly and authoritatively. Always attempt to stay calm and do not panic. Emergencies push our bodies into adrenaline overdrive, and it is critical to use quick thinking and maintain a cool head.